


Ripples by the Pond

by iguia



Category: Fruits Basket, Fruits Basket - Takaya Natsuki (Manga)
Genre: Drama, Family Feels, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:01:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25832476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iguia/pseuds/iguia
Summary: A wish Ayame made in the past sends Yuki reeling back in time. Finding himself sharing a class with the Mabudachi Trio, Yuki must find a way to keep his secret hidden or risk losing himself in the past forever.
Relationships: Sohma Ayame & Sohma Yuki
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22





	1. Welcome Back, Stranger

**Author's Note:**

> If you followed this story on FFNet, hello again! I've picked up writing again as a break from all the stress/heartache that comes with working in the medical field. Stay safe and healthy everyone!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be cleaning up the rest of the chapters and hopefully get them out in a bi-weekly / weekly fashion (if not sooner), until I've caught up with what has been publicly published so far. I left this chapter mostly untouched as a sort of homage to my younger self. Just wanted to fix the most glaring of mistakes. Hope you enjoy!

"Make a wish Aya!" Shigure called to his friend. They were standing atop a small bridge, a small creek running underneath. School had ended for the day, and they were taking the long way towards home. It was a ritual that the three did whenever they took this particular route home; it was because it gave them a chance for the three to pretend that no curse existed for them; a chance to forget the real reason they attended an all-boys school.

But most of all, a chance for the three to spend a simple, peaceful moment together.

This particular routine involved standing atop the bridge and making a wish. Having already made their wishes, both Shigure and Hatori were impatiently waiting for Ayame to make his wish.

"Ayame," Hatori called, eyes flashing, "Hurry up."

The small sound of a ping was heard, followed by a small splash.

"Done!"

Ayame walked towards the other two, arms swinging energetically as he joined them. They headed down the bridge and towards home in easy silence. Shigure glanced back at Ayame. "Aya, what did you wish for?"

The other winked at him, pushing strands of his hair back behind his ear, "A surprise!"

* * *

**Ripples by the Pond**

By Gia

_Chapter One: Welcome Back, Stranger_

* * *

Yuki raised his eyes from dully staring at his reflection on the table. Ayame had chosen this particular day to visit Shigure's home—completely unplanned—and had wasted no time in re-telling extraordinary stories from his childhood. Normally in these situations, Yuki would have stayed clear from any interaction with Ayame, especially since he had just come home from school and had more than enough homework to finish. He couldn't explain why he lingered here in the living room, ears assaulted from Ayame's loud proclamations and the ever growing antics his brother had with Shigure.

Yuki placed his elbow on the table, carrying his tired head on the palm of his hand as he gazed at his the other people in the living room. His eyes traced the expressions on the others' face. Unsurprisingly, Tohru's was one of rapt attention. Shigure was nodding here and there at Ayame's current story. And Kyou?

Yuki smiled faintly. Kyou looked torn between bolting from the room and strangling Ayame.

"—and I took the snakes and gave them a proper burial under the apricot trees in the back of the school! I couldn't bear to see it mutilated by the hands of my own peers!"

"Amazing, Ayame-san!" Tohru uttered, eyes wide as Ayame stand up and pose dramatically for the end of his story. "The teacher didn't find out?" she asked.

Ayame made a dismissing gesture. "The teacher did catch me but I knew I did the right thing!" He turned to Shigure and winked. "Why I had quite the many admirers of my noble deed."

Shigure nodded seriously. "A truly inspired event."

"And Yuki, you think so too, right?" Ayame focused his gaze on Yuki who had, throughout the Ayame's stories, remained silent.

Yuki shifted uncomfortably. "You can't save everyone," He said after a lengthy pause.

Ayame blinked at the response, finding Yuki's words more hurtful than the usual insults Yuki threw at him. Unsure how to respond, Ayame tried switching tactics. "Ah, but Yuki, don't you want to know how your charming older brother got out of getting into too much trouble once he got caught?"

Yuki sighed and slowly pushed himself up to stand. How was it that he always felt so tired around his older brother?

"No."

Ayame tried pouting at him. "But Yuki—"

Yuki kept his back to his brother and quietly left the room.

Kyou, who was watching this brief moment between the brothers, rolled his eyes at Yuki's behavior. "Tch. Whatever." Kyou didn't really care either way on the poor relationship of the two brothers. Personally, Kyou thought Yuki was right in ignoring his brother. Ayame was too loud, too annoying, too _much_ to handle. For once, he and the rat were in complete agreement. 

"I'm going out," he called out over his shoulder before exiting the room.

Tohru gazed worriedly at the doors Kyou just left through. It seemed rather abrupt for both boys to leave, but then again, they were probably had other things to work on. Which reminded her…

"I need to prepare dinner!" Tohru cried out, standing up hastily and bowing to both Ayame and Shigure. "You'll be staying for that, won't you Ayame-san?"

"Of course!" Ayame smiled brightly. "I wouldn't miss Tohru's famous cooking."

She flushed at the compliment and left with a small wave.

Ayame kept his smile on his face as he stared at the closed doors where the three had previously left through. The silence that now descended onto the room was jarring from earlier. 

"Aya-san," Ayame felt Shigure move to sit beside him, the warmth of his shoulder abutting his own.

"Shigure, no need." 

Shigure frowned. "Ayame—" he tried again.

Ayame lightly nudged Shigure's shoulder. "Will I be sharing my bed with you tonight, Shigure?"

Shigure paused for the barest seconds in surprise before catching on. "This and every night, forever, Ayame…"

"Shigure…"

They began to lean toward each other.

"— _the hell?_ "

Mere inches away from each other's faces, they stopped and turned back toward the doors.

Where Kyou was standing.

" _Gaarghh_ —!" Kyou gave a sort of strangled yell before falling over.

"Well, well, that worked out better than I thought it would." Shigure said cheerfully.

* * *

Yuki shifted in his seat, trying to focus on the book in front of him rather than the commotion downstairs. He had heard the dull thud from below and definitely wasn't keen on finding out the cause. The enraged yelling that followed could only belong to Kyou so Yuki felt at ease in not venturing back to the living room.

Yuki's eyes scanned the book in front of him. They were two weeks into the section on poetry writing for their literature class. The teacher had given instructions to study renowned haikus and write an analysis on a themed selection of their own choosing. He had pre-selected several poems already, but knew he needed to read them all slowly and multiple times before he decided to write a dedicated paper on them all.

> _"Fallen sick on a journey_  
>  _In dreams I run wildly_  
>  _Over a withered moor"_ [1]

He bent over his notebook, jotting down ideas. After an hour, he leaned back on his hands, attempting to stretch out his sore muscles. He no longer heard any more loud noises from downstairs which usually meant Ayame had departed unless he was otherwise engaged with Shigure. Yuki shuddered at the thought, knowing all too well what trouble the pair could create. If Tohru was making dinner as planned, he would have to return to the dining table at some point and there would be no more avoiding his brother for tonight. 

Not for the first time, Yuki wondered at the recent difficulty he was having in regard to his brother. He had done so well in showing nothing but indifference in the past, but recently it was just easier to avoid him. Yuki had to admit that Ayame's persistence was wearing him down, but he couldn't fathom what their relationship would look like afterwards. 

Yuki knew his own hesitation was strange. Isn't this what he wanted after all these years? For Ayame to finally accept him and act like the brother he always wanted? Why did he constantly push him away if his brother wanted to reconnect?

' _I'll tell you why_ ,' a voice in his head retorted. ' _Because he was a good-for-nothing brother who didn't have the heart to spare one single moment with his only brother._ _Someone who needed him then, and doesn't need him now!'_

Yuki sat up from his chair, hands catching the edge of his desk as his vision momentarily went fuzzy. Perhaps a nap was needed to give his tired brain and eyes a rest. Not bothering to even take off his uniform, Yuki dropped down onto his bed and let sleep claim him.

* * *

Akio Kentarou idly tapped his fingers on his steering wheel, letting the soft music flow over him. He pushed his glasses back up and yawned tiredly. Classes had ended for the day and all Akio wanted was to go home and take a nice long nap. That is, until he saw a body lying on the road.His feet slammed down on the brakes and he jerked to the side quickly, thankful no other cars were sharing this part of the road. He was fortunate he hadn't collided with any nearby streetlight or pedestrian. Placing his car into brake, Akio got out, and ran towards what he saw on the road.

A body. A body of a young boy!

Tie flying in his face, Akio ran towards the immobile body and got on his knees to check on him. It was quite a surprise to see that the boy wasn't injured. Not even a scratch. In actuality, he seemed to be sleeping. Akio had basic first aid training as required by all the teachers, but apart from one very memorable peanut allergy incident, he had yet to deal with anything else life-threatening. 

With slight hesitance, he reached forward and shook the arm of the boy. He either must've done it too lightly, or the teen was a deep sleeper, because there was no reaction. Trying again, he was unable to dodge the arm flying out and hitting him straight across his face. 

Akio grabbed his face with a pained cry, and looked back down in shock when he heard a quiet murmur ( _Stupid cat_ _…_ ) followed by a soft snore. He eyed the frail-looking boy warily, and almost decided to leave him as he was before his conscience got the better of him. His second attempt was rewarded with yet another whack to the face, resulting in reddening hand prints on both sides of his face. 

' _Obviously the boy's awake now, right?"_ Akio fumed to himself, _"Wait a minute. I'm an adult. Teenagers can't treat adults like this.'_ He leaned over the other person to scrutinize his face carefully. _'He has to be pretending! What sort of person would still be asleep after all that?'_

The face was pretty lax and his breathing was quite deep and even. Frowning to himself, Akio bent his head closer to the boy's face. At this distance, he could make out faint snores emitting from the boy's mouth.

_'I don't believe it… he's asleep!'_ Akio thought incredulously to himself.

Finding the entire situation absurd, Akio shook the boy once more, grunting a bit when he heaved the boy up from his armpits. He kept one hand on his arm to prevent him from falling back to the floor. "Hello? You can stop pretending to be asleep, I mean, you're _standing_ in the middle of the street," Akio pointed out, nudging the teen once more.

Akio regarded the boy for any reaction.

Slowly, almost painfully so, the boy's face cringed before vivid violet eyes revealed themselves to Akio's curious face. As soon as the boy's eyes met Akio's own, he took a step back.

He didn't know what to make of the situation. Here was this high school student who looked, for all intents and purposes, like he was just taking a nap in the middle of the road. And more to the point, he had hit him with both arms while he was asleep! Akio felt that some stern scolding was called for but that look in the other's eyes, that confusion, that wariness, it was quite convincing of the boy's complete ignorance of what had occurred.

This undoubtedly meant Akio was at a loss of words. Sighing to himself, he tried to convey a friendly smile without startling the teen further, "Are you alright there, kid?"

The boy blinked at him. He gave a polite smile and bow. "Yes, I'm quite alright, although..." He looked around. "How did I get here?"

' _Ah, I thought as much,_ ' Akio thought to himself, watching with some amusement at the other's bewildered expression.

"This may sound shocking, but I found you asleep on the road. I know you boys like to try new things, but sleeping in the middle of the road wasn't something I'd expect."

"Sleeping?" the other repeated, eyebrows climbing even higher, "On the road?"

Akio nodded slowly. "I take it you didn't realize that. Well," he glanced at his watch, "it's about 3:34 o'clock. You might've been heading home by now. I'm sure your parents will be worried by now."

The teen smiled tightly. "Yes, you might be right. Thank you for," he paused, "waking me."

Not looking back, the youth quickly walked away, turned a corner, and vanished. Akio stared after him, scratching the back of his head. 

_'Today is a decidedly odd day.'_

* * *

Walking down the walkway, Yuki glanced at the shops to both sides. Everything seemed normal, although he didn't recognize a few stores. People walking down the street were wearing garb that looked out of place. He recognized one of the main roads but that would put him at least several blocks from Shigure's own home. 

_Where was that grocery store down at the corner? Since when did they have a salon on that street?_

Shaking his head, he passed by a window and stopped in his tracks. Turning his head slowly to the side, he looked at a large calendar hung on the wall of a hair salon. In block numbers, **1990** was stamped above that month's calendar days. There were customers inside getting their hair styled. Yuki hadn't seen anyone with the hair since his own mother...

' _Impossible!'_ Yuki thought to himself, his footsteps quickening as headed down the street. A cursory glance in all the stores revealed a similar date. _'1990, 1990,_ _ **1990**_ _! This can't be real! It's not possible!'_

Heart hammering in his chest, Yuki stepped back from yet another store's window and ran.

* * *

"Thank you!"

Ayame grinned, and accepted the ice cream cone. They were nearing the Sohma Estate, before Shigure came up with the idea of stopping for ice cream. Before Hatori could even protest, they dragged him with them to buy from a vendor. The teen proceeded to glare at the two in silence, having already refused to get his own. Far from being fazed, Shigure continued to offer his own treat towards Hatori for a taste, even threatening to leave a bit on his cheek if he didn't concede. Hatori's annoyance broke after several attempts from both boys and he grudgingly accepted a third treat for himself. He savored the sweetened dessert in silence, turning his expression from the other two lest they tease him some more.

Shigure and Ayame, on the other hand, continued to make enthusiastic sounds at their respective desserts, merely to attract the attention of bystanders lingering by the vendor. Hatori, long past feeling embarrassed, wondered when it was that he had gotten used to their antics. He surveyed the street, taking note of all the people walking to and from, likely heading home from school or work. Hatori appreciated these scenes of normalcy. When things were blissfully simple—easy route home, ice cream at the park—Hatori could appreciate life's simple pleasures.

But today was not the day for simple pleasures because before he could fully appreciate his own musing, another body collided with his own, sending both of them crashing to the hard ground. He bemoaned the loss of his newly purchased ice cream in his mind as it arced away from his falling form.

Hatori winced when his head made a dull sound against the hard concrete, but more so at the sudden weight from the body sprawled awkwardly on top of him. There was a momentary pause, before two things happened simultaneously. The person who ran into him gasped and suddenly a pair of stunning, clear purple-tinted eyes invaded his personal space.

Hatori distantly heard Ayame and Shigure hurrying over to pull the boy off of him and help him up.

"Hatori…?" Ayame asked concernedly, hooking an arm under his own to help him up.

Shigure turned to the boy who ran into him. A cross between purple and grey hair fell in wisps over the boy's face. His pale alabaster skin was flushed, and the boy seemed to be breathing heavily. The face titled upwards, and Shigure was struck with sudden familiarity, although he couldn't put his finger on it. The boy put his hand to his mouth, coughing. Shigure felt a bit concerned but tried to focus on the matter at hand. Namely, who the stranger was.

"Sorry, I-I didn't see you." the boy spoke softly.

Hatori, dusting himself off and assuring Ayame that he wasn't hurt, turned towards the boy. "It's fine. Just watch where you're going next time."

The boy nodded carefully, taking great care to not meet any of their eyes. Shigure only got another glimpse of those striking eyes and felt confused when the boy appeared to flinch at their eye contact. The boy bowed in apology and turned to go before Ayame abruptly called out.

"That uniform," Ayame noted, "Do you go to Kaibara? I don't remember seeing you there."

At this the boy looked up, and Ayame's breath caught in his throat when he took in his visage. He looked remarkably similar to... 

"No," the boy said simply. He turned again, but this time, Hatori called out to him.

"What's your name? It's the least I could ask of someone who practically ran me into the ground," he followed the words with a wry grin to ease any doubts.

"Yuki So—Suyama." Bowing politely once more, the boy turned and left.

"Strange boy," Shigure said thoughtfully. "I felt as if I've met him before."

Ayame stared after him silently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] by Matsuo Basho (1644-1694)


	2. First Day of School, A New Student

_They were… He was…_ Yuki shut his eyes tiredly, pausing in his quick stride. This couldn't be happening. The tight clench in his chest brought him back too reality. He smirked bitterly, clenching his fists. It would be all too easy to let the situation overwhelm him if he let it. His smile faded. Now was not the time to be overly dramatic, he needed to find someone he knew.

Technically speaking though, he knew those three he had just run into.

A small laugh slipped through his lips. _'I'm going crazy… but I don't seem to care.'_ Wrapping his arms around himself in a semblance of an embrace, he walked down the street. The first thing to do was to find a place to stay since it would be getting dark soon. He couldn't stay outside in the cold with just his high school uniform. He tried to look more at ease, lest he attract the wrong sort of attention. Hopefully, his luck would turn around.

* * *

**Ripples by the Pond**

By Gia

* * *

With a flick of the switch, the light overhead filled the kitchen. Akio brushed his fingers through his short brown hair, pushed up his glasses, and dropped his keys on the counter. Ever since the run-in with that mysterious boy—and staring into space for a good 15 minutes after—he had gotten back into the car and drove home. He had tried to get his mind off the strange encounter, but it just wouldn't leave him. Now that he thought about it, the uniform reminded him of the uniform in Kaibara High, but he didn't remember teaching a student that looked even remotely like him.

Sock clad feet padded into the kitchen, as Akio brought out some cookware and lit his stove on. Maybe stir fry would be good today. The buzz from the TV in his living room added to his preferred background music. He proceeded to raid his fridge for materials, placing them one-by-one on his small kitchen counter.

_'I wonder if the boy has gone home yet.'_

His hands made quick work of the ingredients, slicing the bok choy and julienne the carrots. The aroma of the minced garlic and ginger sizzling in his pan was already whetting his appetite. He added a dash of soy, oyster sauce, and dark vinegar. _'Perhaps I'll ask Ms. Okita about any new students. I might see him later and ask him myself._ '

Grabbing a ladle from his drawer, he moved the food around to prevent them from burning. Afterwards, he tipped the pan over onto a plate, grabbing chopsticks from the side and sat down.

_'Perhaps he'll be in my class._ '

* * *

Yuki cursed, remembering he didn't carry change in his pocket. Despondently hanging the payphone back, he continued on his way. Night had arrived and the cold wind didn't help his situation. He was clad in his summer uniform still, so it didn't prevent the chills that rang through his body. Gritting his teeth, Yuki decided he had to go to a house and ask to borrow the phone since the stores were closed already. His uniform wasn't dirtied, he had a presentable image, so hopefully he wouldn't be ignored.

Randomly choosing a house, he reluctantly walked up to the door and knocked. He waited a few minutes, but still no answer. Sighing in frustration, he knocked once more. Still no answer. Starting to feel concerned for his plans for the night, he turned to walk away when the door suddenly swung open. Yuki turned his head, ready to ask if he could use their phone when he stopped.

He recognized this man.

"What a surprise," Akio muttered dryly, ushering Yuki in without question, although he sent a reproving stare at him for not wearing a coat in the chilly weather. Yuki stood uncertainly in the hall, staring at the wall to the side. Akio smiled warmly, "And what can I do for you, uh…"

"Yuki. Yuki Suyama." Yuki mentally blanched, he was close to giving a different last name, but he had to remain consistent with what he was telling the people he encountered. What if he ran into those three again? 

"Well, Yuki, my name is Akio Kentaro. What can I do for you?"

Yuki sent him a trembling smile. "May I borrow your phone?"

"Have you lost your way home?"

Yuki's smile turned into a frown. He wasn't an idiot. "No. I-I just need to use your phone."

Akio nodded, still staring at him oddly, and gestured towards the small table in the entryway. Nodding his thanks, Yuki grasped the phone and automatically dialed Shigure's home phone number. Akio watched from the side.

Yuki listened to the rings, and belatedly realized he called a phone number that didn't exist. Before he could hang up, he heard the sound of a woman's voice on the other line, "Hello?"

"Ah, sorry! Wrong number!"

"Oh, that's okay. Goodbye."

"Bye."

Yuki blushed, hanging up the phone. He was aware of Akio watching him, and knew he'd be suspicious. "Can't remember your phone number Yuki?" came the amused statement.

Yuki spun around. "I just made a mistake!"

Akio sighed dramatically, reminding Yuki much of Shigure, and he strode towards the phone. Akio picked up the phone, laying it on his shoulder. "Tell me your number, I'll dial it."

Yuki panicked. He wracked his brain for a plausible excuse but could come up with none. "You don't have to do that Kentarou-san. I'll just try again."

Akio waved his hand. "It's no problem." He waited expectantly.

Yuki's smile slipped. "I…"

Akio looked at him, and suddenly, realization dawned on his face. "That explains it! Why you were in the street. Why you're here now. Why you can't dial the number!"

Yuki tilted his head confusedly. "What explains it?"

"You're homeless and you must've stolen that uniform!"

"I'm not homeless!" Yuki sputtered, "And I didn't steal this uniform, it's mine!"

Akio's triumphant finger fell. "Then why can't you remember your phone number?" He didn't wait for Yuki to explain when it clicked. "Oh, well of course, why didn't I think of that?" He rapped his finger lightly against his head. "Amnesia! You were lying on the street so maybe you were hit in some kind of accident. Can you remember what happened?"

Yuki blinked. _'I'm in the past._ ' He had to clench his arms to his side to keep from reflexively covering his mouth. For a moment, he had thought he blurted that aloud.

"No," Yuki rushed to say, noticing with some panic at Akio's expectant face.

"Then you've probably lost your memory. This happened to an old student of mine, it took two months for him to get his memory back." Akio shook his head sadly. "Can you try to remember your parent's address? Anything that could lead to you back to your home?"

"No," Yuki began, trying to quell his nervousness, "I can't remember anything."

"Well, you don't look injured, but I'm not a professional. Do you feel okay, or should I take you to the hospital?"

Yuki paled, shaking his head no. If he were to run into a nurse, or a female doctor, or a female visitor—it would not be good. "I'm fine. But I have no place to go." He smiled sheepishly at Akio.

Akio looked thoughtful as he regarded him. Yuki found the staring more than a little unnerving but waited for whatever the man had to say.

"Then I will act as your temporary guardian."

Yuki did a double-take. _'That was sudden.'_ He shook his head to clear his surprise. "A-Are you sure? You don't even know me."

"True, but you don't even know yourself, Yuki, apart from your name apparently. You seem like an intelligent boy, it will be no problem for me. My only rule is that you help me around the house in return." He grinned.

Yuki returned the grin surprisingly. "Thank you, Kent-"

"Ah, Akio-san will do. Kentarou-san makes me sound old, and I don't look old, now do I?"

"Uh…"

Akio adopted a martyred look. "Don't answer that."

Yuki laughed. "Yes, Akio-san."

* * *

"WHAT!"

"Well, I couldn't very well let you stay cooped up in this house, could I? You'd miss school."

Yuki crossed his arms. Last night, Akio had let him stay in the guest room and lent him his clothes. He had insisted that he wash Yuki's uniform so Yuki had let him. Unfortunately, he knew now why Akio was so adamant. Apparently Akio had called Kaibara High and spoke with the principal about Yuki. Today, Yuki was going to attend his first day in the _middle_ of the term. _'I need to focus all my attention on getting back to my time. I can't go to school now!'_

"Over my dead body." Yuki retorted.

"Is that a way to treat your guardian, Yuki? After feeding you, taking care of you, and putting a roof over your head, this— _!_ "

"You make it sound like you've been taking care of me my entire life!"

"But— _!_ "

"No! I will not attend that all boys' school! You can't make me!" Yuki knew he sounded childish, but still, Akio could've asked first.

Akio suddenly turned until his back was facing Yuki. "I see."

Yuki frowned when he noticed Akio's shoulders tremble. _'He wasn't…_ _ **crying**_ _, was he?'_

He could see Akio reach into his pocket and pull out a handkerchief. Before Yuki could so much as take a step forward, Akio blew noisily into the cloth. "D-Don't mind me," Akio said, sniffing loudly, "I was just s-so excited t-to get you i-i-into _school!_ " And at the last word, Akio's voice cracked and he began to bawl—quite obnoxiously in Yuki's opinion—like a three year old.

As soon as Akio had opened his mouth, Yuki had a feeling something horrendous was going to happen. But this? _'I don't know any adults that act like him,'_ Yuki thought to himself, _'unless you count my brother and Shigure…'_

Sighing loudly, Yuki stepped closer to Akio. "Look, Kenta—Akio-san, I'm sorry. I was just surprised and I'm really very grateful that you managed to— _!"_

Akio swung around and grasped Yuki by his shoulders. Yuki could almost see the stars shining in the man's eyes. "So does that mean…"

Yuki nodded with a defeated sigh, but glared up at Akio sharply when he felt the other pat him on the head. " _Oi!_ I'm not a dog."

Akio raised his hands in apology. "Ah, sorry, but you remind me of one of my younger cousins."

Yuki raised his eyebrows in surprise. Seeing the boy's expression, Akio grinned sheepishly back at him. "Anyway, I've already ironed your uniform. Go change, and we'll eat breakfast."

Yuki stared at Akio for a little longer before he trudged upstairs to change. So he was going to Kaibara High. The same school his brother, Shigure, and Hatori attended. He could come up with a dozen ways this would end badly for him.

* * *

Ayame shut his locker closed, waiting for Shigure to finish putting his books and shoes away. Hatori had already gone to class, and with some begging, promised that he would tell the teacher that they would be a bit late because of a family incident. Shigure shut his locker, grinning over at Ayame.

"Have you been waiting long, love?"

"I would wait an eternity for you Gure-san."

Both gave a thumbs-up. "Yes!"

Grinning madly, they hurried to their classroom, waved cheerfully to their teacher, and sat down next to Hatori. The bell rang just after they sat and Ayame winked at the teacher. Smiling at their antics, Akio cleared his throat.

"Quiet down now. We are having a new student today. Now, I am warning all the boys ahead of time. He's been in an accident and other private family issues, so please refrain from asking about his life story, okay?" He ended the last bit sarcastically, earning a few scattered chuckles from the boys. That must've been the cue, because the classroom door slid open slowly.

The boys watched as a slender boy stepped inside, shutting the door behind himself. He had purple-grayish hair that fell in tendrils around his face, slightly shielding his eyes. His skin looked as if it had never seen the sun and because of his stature, made him appear alarmingly breakable. A pale, thin arm picked up a piece of chalk and wrote his name out with thin strokes.

The boys watched in silence as his name was written out. It was as if some kind of spell had been cast in the room, causing the usually rowdy boys to wait in bated breath for the boy to turn around and greet them.

When he finally did turn around, the first thing to catch anyone's eyes were his amethyst colored eyes. Despite the vivid color, the boy's expression was shuttered off so that no one could tell if he was happy or nervous to see them.

"My name is Yuki Suyama," Yuki said before bowing low, "pleased to meet you."

And like that, the silence was broken.

Akio coughed uncomfortably before straightening up and giving Yuki a reassuring smile. "Yuki, why don't you sit in that vacant seat beside the window? It's the desk in front of Hatori's." Akio nodded in the direction he was pointing to. "Hatori, raise your hand please."

Hatori complied automatically, but he was too busy staring at Yuki. Shigure and Ayame were just as surprised, but neither made any move to show they recognized the new student. Yuki kept his face perfectly blank as he took his place in the desk in front of Hatori. He placed his bag on the desk, then his elbow on top so he could cradle his head in the palm of his hand.

Akio inwardly sighed at what had transpired. He had had a feeling that Yuki was shy but to this extent?

' _It must be first day jitters.'_

* * *

Yuki's eyes slowly trailed off to the side, staring at the trees that lined themselves inside school grounds. It was almost relaxing to watch the leaves drift to the ground. He could hear laughter in the background; Akio was busy describing the finer points of English with much gusto, throwing in comical jokes to make the lesson interesting.

Yuki felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, alerting him that someone was staring at the back of his head. He knew it was one of the three, most likely Hatori, but more to the point, it was _very_ disconcerting. Shifting in his chair, Yuki kept his face blank, and pretended to listen to Akio's lecture. It took five solid minutes, but the stare left the back of his head, and Yuki could relax.

That is, until a small ball of crumpled paper landed on top of his desk.

Raising his eyebrow, he picked it up and carefully unfolded it. Drawn messily across the sheet of paper were three cartoons of the three boys behind him, all giving Yuki a thumbs-up. A grin was tugging at his lips, but he squashed it down. He glanced down at the bottom of the page to see a message scrawled at the bottom. It read: _"After class, we can help you to your classes, what do you say?"_

He paused to digest the question before he crumpling it up into a small ball and throwing it deftly over his shoulder to land on Hatori's desk. Yuki couldn't possibly deal with his relatives, not if he wanted to find a way to get back to his own time. And while he knew he'd need all the friends he could get, Yuki didn't want them to be _them_. His mind brought up the image of the hand-written message. It was odd, now that he thought about it, but Yuki was almost certain that Ayame had written it.

Before he could pursue that train of thought, Yuki turned back to the board to focus on the lesson. Just because he was Ayame's age now, it didn't mean he was going to treat him nicely. No, even if he was sixteen or seventeen now, he wasn't going to—wait a minute. He, the younger Yuki, _he_ was still in Sohma House.

Yuki didn't want to think what would happen if he saw his younger self. He remembered all too well what went on at the house and he certainly didn't want to revisit those memories.

The bell ringing brought Yuki from his daze. Yuki picked up his bag, and made for the door but Akio suddenly called out. "Yuki, wait!"

Yuki slowly swiveled around with a strained smile. "Yes?"

Akio glanced at the remaining students in the room: The Mabudachi Trio. "You three! Could you please wait a moment before going to your next class?"

Yuki looked from the three boys and back to Akio. He had a small idea as to what Akio was going to ask but he was hoping that he was wrong. It was more than a little annoying that as he approached the desk Akio was standing behind, he could clearly see the wide smiles on both Shigure and Ayame's faces.

"Here Yuki," Akio said as he held out a sheet of paper, "this lists all of your classes. I know I didn't have time to show it to you at home, but these three can help you around. Ayame happens to be the class president, and Hatori and Shigure here are very capable students. I'm sure they'll give you a warm welcome."

He inclined his head at the three with a small smile. "You'll be sharing the same classes with them, so you can have start off your brand new friendship now, right?" Akio grinned in a friendly way, but it was gone when he met the icy stare of Yuki's eyes.

Yuki nodded wordlessly and took the paper from Akio's hand. He shifted his body away from touching Hatori who had suddenly stepped forward, clearly indicating that he would lead them all to their next class. Hatori turned back to him, inwardly wondering at the boy's aloof personality.

The tension between the two was only broken when Shigure and Ayame each wrapped an arm around Yuki's shoulders. "Let's go then Yuki, we'll show you to our next class!"

Yuki's bland expression morphed into one of surprise. Hatori thought the expression was more suited than the stoic one he held earlier. He started when he felt Shigure nudge him in the side. Was he caught staring at the new kid?

Shigure eyed the pink flush dusting Hatori's cheeks and grinned. Maybe having a new kid would be interesting.


	3. Fall of Surprise, New Revelations

Yuki looked up at the school as he headed for the entrance. Despite the fact that he had done this several times already, he was still getting used to the fact that he was stuck in the past, attending high school with other relatives. He had spent several sleepless nights trying to figure out why he had ended up at this specific timeline. There was nothing strange that day, as far as he could recall. Yuki was sure it was going to be a long charade but as early in the game as he was, he felt confident enough to pull it off. The real problem lay in keeping himself distant from the three but unfortunately for him, the three had deemed it necessary to familiarize themselves with him.

If it was a ploy, Yuki didn't get it. If it was an attempt at friendship… Yuki didn't even want to consider the consequences of _that_ happening.

* * *

**Ripples by the Pond**

By Gia

* * *

The next class was health education. It would be on the second floor, and they were currently climbing the stairs. Ayame and Shigure still had their arms thrown over Yuki's shoulders, and Hatori had made no attempt to speak to him. When they reached the halls, Hatori's pace sped up. The stoic teen happened to be very good in this particular class. Hatori had wanted to be a doctor since he was little, so it was no surprise that he happened to excel in the subjects that were needed to pursue that goal. "So, Yuki, first time in all boys' school?"

He shrugged. Shigure didn't seem disheartened by his lack of response and continued speaking. "It's not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. The lack of high school girls may seem bad at first, but we cope with it. There are some female teachers here, but I doubt you'll be interested in Katsura-san."

Yuki resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Shigure wasn't different in the future than he was when he was still in high school. "Well, what school did you go to before this one? Did you move from another city?" Shigure tried again.

Yuki didn't really want to talk about it. What if he let something slip? It would be suspicious if he didn't know a thing. It might be enough reason to send him to a hospital. It wouldn't hurt to tell the edited truth.

"I live locally," Yuki started, "And it was just a regular school."

Shigure and Ayame were ecstatic. That was the most this strange boy had said all day.

"We're here," said Hatori when they had finally arrived at the classroom.

As soon as they walked inside, the students' attention were immediately drawn over to Yuki. Katsura-san looked up and smiled warmly to Yuki. She was an elderly woman who held herself confidently, although there was a maternal touch that endeared her to most of the students.

"You must be Yuki Suyama. I see you've already been designated three boys to show you around, so I'll just allow you to sit with them in class today."

Yuki felt himself smile back at her elderly gaze and he sat down. He couldn't stop the frown from forming on his face when the other three took seats that circled him on both sides and behind him. The association with the Mabudachi Trio was already setting him apart from the other students, not unlike the isolation he experienced in his own time. He could already tell that the other boys were curious as to his special treatment by the three. He ignored the stares and was relieved when Katsura addressed the boys.

"I hope everyone has filled out their medical forms since I will be picking them up today." She nodded to a boy who had already laid out his form on his desk.

"Yuki, I know you haven't been given one, so I've made an extra copy for you." She walked towards him and handed him the paper. Yuki took it and looked down at it. It just needed the medical data on him, including past illness or allergies.

The medical forms were passed up and she took them from each row. She flipped through them to see that everything was filled in and then looked up.

"Today, I'd like to discuss procedures we can use if something were to happen during school. Nothing serious now, I'm not talking about performing surgery in the halls," at this the boys laughed appreciatively, "but I'd like everyone to at least be able to assist a fellow student. I've noticed that no one here seems to be prone to allergies, or needs any type of medication, which will make this class a bit easier. If anyone has asthma or anything of that sort, it should be included in the form."

She waited for someone to raise their hand, and watched as Yuki raised his. "Yes, Yuki?"

"I've had acute asthma since I was a child." Yuki paused. "It's happened less frequently though…" he trailed off slowly, wondering if he should explain more.

She smiled reassuringly. "This will be a good chance to explain to your new classmates about this, and I can show them how to respond if you were to have an attack. That is, if you don't mind telling us about this Yuki."

Yuki faltered when the eyes turned towards him. "Hat—my doctor," Yuki felt his face flush when he almost let slip Hatori's name, "I don't know the depth of the details dealing with it. My family doctor says I'm sensitive to the typical allergens, and I was prone to frequent attacks when I was younger."

Katsura nodded gently. "I understand. Well," she clasped her hands together, "I've got the perfect idea to start this lesson. A demonstration! Any volunteers?"

Shigure and Ayame grinned.

* * *

As soon as the bell rung, Yuki was the first one outside and down the stairs. It was time for lunch, and Yuki wasn't looking forward to eating with his cousins. His mind was too focused on remembering the conversation he had overheard between Hatori and the others.

))) _ **Flashback**_  
"Er.. Yes, well, Ayame, that is quite enough…"

No response.

"Shigure, do stop. We've taken it a bit far. _Really._ "

The boys were in an uproar when Ayame and Shigure had volunteered to do a demonstration. Mrs. Katsura was trying to teach them basic life support, including mouth to mouth resuscitation, and she didn't realize her mistake when she allowed Shigure and Ayame to demonstrate it.

Shigure had promptly gone into a fantastic imitation of someone having difficulty breathing, and promptly fell to the floor. Ayame had cried out loudly, and before Mrs. Katsura could tell him to keep it down, Ayame literally _pounced_ on Shigure, raving about Shigure leaving him for all eternity. All the boys' mouth dropped once Ayame kissed—or rather, banged his head against Shigure's. Shigure gave a pained groan, and Ayame promptly yelled that Shigure was dying if he didn't help him. On second try, their lips did connect, and Ayame was breathing air into him. Of course, neither of them paid attention when Mrs. Katsura had said to do it slowly and measured, and to NOT act like he was blowing a balloon.

Unfortunately, Ayame didn't get that last bit, and was doing nothing but blow air into the other's mouth. Hatori pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a migraine build up slowly.

Yuki was more shocked than annoyed by the scene in front of him. He turned his head away and hummed a song under his breath to ignore the sounds of Ayame's _enthusiastic_ demonstration.

Needless to say, Mrs. Katsura had blown a casket and got everything under control. Grinning madly, the two promptly jumped up as if everything was normal. Sitting down, they both gave Yuki a thumbs-up, and Yuki merely rolled his eyes at the gesture. "If that's supposed to make me feel safer when I have an attack, then I'd rather suffocate before you try _that_ on me." He spoke softly.

Hatori, on Yuki's other side, couldn't help but smile at the sarcastic comment. This Yuki Suyama wasn't that bad.

Mrs. Katsura rubbed the bridge of her nose, calmly telling herself that her blood pressure wasn't going to take this lightly. Taking deep breaths, she quickly told them to discuss with their partners about the best methods to help someone unconscious. That done, she quickly sat down on her chair.

_'I need a vacation. They don't pay me enough for this.'_ Mrs. Katsura thought tiredly.

Yuki didn't bother turning to the others to discuss the lesson, and just lay his head on his desk. He could feel Hatori's presence stand up, and walk behind him, no doubt coming over to Shigure and Ayame to scold them about their display. Yuki let there words wash over him and could feel his eyes drooping— _!_

"…—reminds me of Yuki."

Yuki's eyes shot open. His face was covered by his arms; to everyone else around him, he looked to be taking a slight doze. _'Lucky for me then,'_ Yuki thought with some amusement. If he could just lean in a bit, he could hear what Hatori had just said, and relieve his fears of them talking about him.

"Your right Ha-san. He does remind us of little Yuki!"

Golden eyes slid away from the conversation, and the same golden eyes trained themselves on Yuki's bent head. A strand of white hair fell into his vision, and with golden eyes narrowed only slightly, he brushed it back.

"How is he, Ha-san?" Ayame asked nonchalantly, his golden eyes still trained on the head.

"Fine as far as I can tell." Hatori's voice was impassive. "He's still staying with Akito."

"Ah, I see."

The bell rang.  
((( _ **End of flashback**_

Yuki wasn't in the mood for eating, he just needed to sit down and think about what's going on. He sat down on the grass, leaning against a school tree. _'I've got focus on why I'm here. I don't belong in this time, my younger self does. Is there some purpose I need to figure out?'_

Yuki groaned softly, bringing up his knees close to his chest so he could rest his arms and head on top of it. He suddenly felt very cold and alone. Completely alone.

* * *

The Mabudachi ate in silence, all members lost in their own thoughts. When Ayame had remained silent throughout the walk to lunch and beginning, Shigure had automatically tried cheering him up, without success. Hatori decided that Ayame would let them know since he seemed too preoccupied to talk anyway.

"Aya, what's wrong?" Shigure suddenly spoke up.

"…That boy."

"Who? Yuki? What about him?"

Ayame shook his head and gave them a bright smile. "Forget it. It's nothing. Let's talk about something else, ne? Do you remember Katsura-sensei's reaction?"

The two immediately engaged in an animated discussion about it. Hatori remained silent and stood up. This, of course, got the other two's attention. "Where are you going Hatori?"

"I'm just going to take a walk. I'll be back in a few minutes." He smiled and assured them that they didn't have to come with him. He wasn't planning on taking a walk. He was planning on looking for Yuki.

* * *

"So, how did your class go today, Katsura?" Akio asked curiously, taking a sip from his drink.

Katsura smiled. "Same as usual, Ayame and Shigure were up to their usual shenanigans."

Akio laughed, knowing very well what she meant. "And Yuki? How was he?"

"Oh, he was very good. Polite and had the prettiest face I've seen on a boy. Reminded me of the Sohmas immediately. Ayame, you know." She paused. "No relation, am I correct?"

Akio nodded. "Yes, no relation. He's told me his family name is Suyama. He's staying with me."

Katsura looked surprised. "Really now? I never knew you had a nephew."

"Oh no, I'm acting as temporary guardian. Speaking of which, I should go check on him. See how he's adjusting." he glanced at his watch and groaned. "I just remembered I need to go back to class and give a few students the make-up test."

Mrs. Katsura stood up. "I'll go look for Yuki, Akio. I may be a woman, and not be able to talk about boys' stuff," she smiled fondly, "But I know how to talk to the sweet ones, and Yuki seems to be a very sweet boy." Akio stood and thanked her. Mrs. Katsura waved the thanks away and set off to look for him.

* * *

Hatori broke into a light jog. Lunch would end quickly if he didn't hurry. He hadn't realized how large the grounds were, and he'd had no luck finding Yuki. However, fate seemed to be in an understanding mood because he spotted Yuki sitting by the tree. He didn't want to run across the students who were sitting around, so he had to run around them.

He turned and almost ran into Mrs. Katsura. Luckily, he stopped himself just in time and stepped back to put some distance between them. Katsura blinked when she noticed Hatori's unusually ruffled state. It was a large departure from the stoic young man she had grown accustom to.

"Hatori? What are you doing? I never knew you were on the track team."

Hatori blushed, "I'm not. Sorry, Katsura-sensei. I was just heading over to Yuki."

Katsura beamed. "I'm glad Yuki has friends. I'm on my way too, for Akio. He had wanted to check on him." They walked at a slow pace, slow in Hatori's opinion, towards Yuki's spot. "…—mention Yuki's with Akio?"

Hatori turned to her, "Excuse me?"

"Did I mention that Yuki's staying with Akio? I was quite surprised myself, but then again, Akio's always been a good man. Reminds me of my own son."

Hatori nodded absently. He hadn't known Yuki lived with Akio. They had absolutely no resemblance to each other. "Is Akio-sensei Yuki's uncle?"

"Oh! No, he's acting as his guardian." She merely smiled, offering no further elaboration. Hatori couldn't think of a reason to probe further. He decided to keep this piece of information in mind while he made a non-committal noise in response to Katsura's words. They finally arrived at Yuki's spot and saw that Yuki had fallen asleep against the tree. Katsura grinned and bent down to shake Yuki.

At her age, Mrs. Katsura wasn't as balanced as she used to be, tripping forward with a small cry. Hatori paused a moment too late to assist, panicked over his inaction. Yuki's eyes scrunched before opening to the scene, taking in Katsura's form coming closer to him. Yuki stood up just as the other's form collided with his, his arms reflexively reaching out to steady her.

A tingle swept up his arms and Yuki was sure his cover was blown. He distantly heard the elderly woman thank him before extracting herself from his arms.

' _Wait, that means…'_ Yuki's eyes shot open when he realized exactly what her words meant.

He hadn't changed back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's strange reading a work I wrote many years ago, almost feels like a different person altogether. I am working hard trying to smooth transitions and clean up any errors though. Hope you enjoyed!


	4. Unlikely Happenings

"Hatori's been gone for a while, hasn't he?"

Shigure paused in his chewing. It was true, more than ten minutes had passed and yet no sign of their friend returning. Hatori wasn't the type to get held back by a student, not if he meant to return in time to eat his lunch before the bell tolled.

"Should we go look for him?"

Ayame nodded with an uncharacteristically serious expression. "I've got a bad feeling."

* * *

**Ripples by the Pond**

By Gia

* * *

He hadn't changed back. He hadn't changed back!

Katsura stepped back when she took notice of Yuki's pale face. "Yuki? What's wrong?"

Yuki brought his hand to his chest. His lungs were constricting painfully at this new revelation. He tried to sit up but only managed to fall back against the tree, desperately trying to breathe. He could barely hear the teacher's exclamations or notice the sound of running. It was only until he felt someone lean over him did he lift his head to look at the person.

Ayame's eyes were staring down at his, worry painted clearly over his brow. Yuki's eyes trailed down to Ayame's mouth; he was trying to make out the words that the other was saying. He shook his head as his body heaved with the effort of consuming much needed oxygen. His vision was darkening on the edges, and he mouthed 'brother' before slumping over in a dead faint. 

* * *

He was aware of someone speaking to him. An older man's voice.

Yuki frowned when he realized he couldn't understand what was being said. He opened his eyes, blinking rapidly to clear his blurry vision. The first thing his eyes met was the white painted ceiling. He recognized this place. He was in the nurse's office. He shifted his head across the pillow so he could pay more attention to the people talking.

It only took Yuki a moment to realize it was Akio speaking. They—the nurse and Akio—had failed to notice his return to wakefulness so he pushed himself up into an upright position.

"Yuki, what happened?" Akio asked with some concern laced in his voice.

Yuki shook his head, not wanting to speak right now. He was too shocked. He hadn't transformed! How was that possible? What did it mean? Perhaps because he was a stranger to this time, only the true Yuki could transform. Yuki unconsciously chewed gently on his lower lip in concentration, ignoring Akio. Then what could his future presence do to affect this past, if it even could?

In his panic, he tied swinging himself off the cot. Akio immediately went to stop him but from a quick glare from Yuki, he stopped. Yuki noticed the hurt expression flit across Akio's face and immediately felt guilty. He hadn't meant to treat this man so coldly, not when he after everything Akio had done for him. Akio could've just turned him away when he first approached him but he didn't.

"I'm sorry."

Akio looked up at him. He had to admit that he did feel slightly hurt by that tone, but he knew how teenagers were, he had been one himself after all. "No, don't worry about it." He noticed Yuki's wary expression and tried smiling wider. "Just don't overexert yourself."

Yuki nodded, acknowledging Akio's concern. "I know. I'm going to take it easy. I'm fine, I really am. Can I…?" he let the question hang in the air.

Akio smiled. "Sure. I'll meet you in the parking lot. I'll just inform my students of my leave."

Yuki found himself naturally returning the smile. He slipped off the cot with minimal difficulty and walked out.

* * *

Hatori nodded absentmindedly at Ayame's and Shigure's words. The three were waiting outside, hoping to catch sight of Yuki. Hatori, on the other hand, wanted to see Yuki for different reasons. He remembered quite vividly what happened. The moment Mrs. Katsura had fallen against Yuki's arms, the air around him had shuddered. atori remembered that Yuki had closed his eyes in expectance, as if something was going to happen as a consequence of the woman falling into his arms.

Or maybe it was just his mind laying tricks on him? 

"Ha-san."

It wasn't a statement to get his attention. Ayame was discretely pointing out the figure of Yuki walking across the school yard, heading towards the parking lot. Hatori immediately stood up, the other two following.

"Let's go," Shigure spoke quietly.

* * *

Yuki kept his head bowed down as he headed to Akio's car. His first day of school hadn't turned out as smoothly as Yuki had hoped, but that was to be expected. Nothing came easy when it came to the Sohmas. Upon reaching the passenger side of the car, Yuki leaned back against it staring at his surroundings but not really registering what his eyes saw.

Instead, his mind's eye traveled back to the event at the tree. He was still trying to come to terms with this new development. It should've been a huge relief for him but it was just too sudden. A person doesn't spend their entire life changing into an animal at the touch of a person of the opposite sex, and then find out that that was no longer the case. It just wasn't done.

He continued to stare before he realized that the three students he had dimly noted were walking straight towards him. These students were the last three people he wanted to see right now. Silently telling himself to gain back his composure, he turned to them with an expressionless look on his face.

Shigure was the first to speak. "Yuki! I—how are you doing now?" The boy smiled, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere when Hatori and Ayame met Yuki's eyes.

"Fine," Yuki responded lightly.

Silence.

"Yuki, we—"

Akio unexpectedly appeared beside Yuki, smiling cheerfully at the other boys. "Oh, all three Sohmas come to escort Yuki, eh?" Shigure and Ayame blinked at Akio, wondering why the teacher had appeared.

"He's Yuki's guardian." Hatori supplied.

Ayame glanced at Yuki, and he opened his mouth to say something when Yuki cut him off. "I'm sorry I'll have to cut this conversation short."

Shigure nodded understandingly, and added that he'd see Yuki tomorrow then. Akio smiled at the three Sohmas as they walked away before he turned to Yuki.

"Friends of yours?"

"Not really, no."

* * *

The next day came like any other day. Few clouds were present in the sky, and Yuki was yet again wondering why he even continued coming back to this school. His first month of school had been a bit bumpy, no thanks to the persistence of his relatives. Many of the students had known Yuki to be aloof from the other boys, but no matter his protests, he was still constantly hounded by the Mabudachi Trio. Yuki always managed to shake them off, but it was clear that his resolve was cracking under the slow strain.

For example, the first week of school, the conversation between Yuki and the Sohmas':

_"Yuki! Would you--"_

_"No."_

_"Now Yuki, we haven't even--"_

_"No."_

To the slightly lighter conversation:

_"Yuki! Fancy seeing you here!"_

_Pause. "What do you want Ayame?"_

_"Why don't you sit with us for lunch? You never sit with anyone!" Ayame's smile melted away, and he continued quietly. "You should come, Yuki."_

_"I..." Yuki averted his eyes from Ayame's earnest face, "okay."_

Their tenuous friendship only grew as time marched on into October. It was later announced an endurance run would be scheduled for the following week. It brought vivid memories to Yuki about his memorable endurance run, what with the sudden appearance of—

"Haru!"

Yuki blinked out of his reverie from the window and turned around. He and the other three Sohmas were currently walking towards the cafeteria before Hatori had called out to a small figure standing alone in the hallway.

"Haru, what are you doing here?"

Eyes almost bugging out, Yuki let his eyes trail down to the diminutive body of Hatsuharu Sohma. Haru was currently standing with a disinterested expression on his face while Hatori berated him about coming here. It was clear that Haru had gotten lost, though how, was always a mystery.

Yuki could feel the ends of his lips turning up in a smile, but he turned his head away from the scene. He vaguely heard Shigure make some comment or other followed by Haru's quiet reply. Wondering if the best thing was walking away now, Yuki was surprised to hear Haru direct a question towards him.

"Who are you?"

Yuki kept his back turned to Haru, but he raised his hand in greeting. "Just a friend of theirs."

"Now, Yuki, no need to say that." Ayame admonished casually. "Haru, this is our dear friend Yuki Suyama. Yuki, this is Haru Sohma."

"Nice to meet you," spoke Haru.

Dreading the consequence, Yuki turned around fully, and instinctively grasped Haru's outstretched hand. "Nice to meet you as well, Haru."

Yuki gave a strained smile at Haru's quiet, sharp intake of breath. No doubt Haru could see the resemblance between himself and his younger counterpart.

Yuki let go of the boy's hand first, wondering if the tension he felt was obvious to the others. He turned his head to the other three, "I need to make a stop at the library."

"Aww but Yuki, we're supposed to be eating lunch first!"

"We'll see you later then."

"Ah, Ha-san, why'd you have to go and say that?" Ayame whined.

Hatori remained quiet before turning to the silent Haru. "Well then Haru, I think we need to call the Main House."

Haru did not utter a word, continually staring at the spot where Yuki last stood.

* * *

Kazuma smiled at the small boy sitting beside him in the car. "So, Haru, how was your little trip?"

"Fine."

"It was stupid. How'd you get lost going to the _bathroom_?" a voice called from the backseat.

Kazuma looked at the rearview mirror to meet eyes with vermilion ones. "Kyou," He said warningly. A small 'humph!' was heard, which caused Kazuma to smile again. "From now on, Kyou, why don't you walk Haru to the bathroom? Yes, that would be the best arrangement."

"But—"

"It's already decided."

The sounds of light bickering between Kyou and Kazuma faded into the background for Haru. Today's events proved surprising for Haru, and he knew exactly that he needed to find out what exactly was so different with this Yuki Suyama.


End file.
